Bezos, Gates, Pichai abuzz over AI, while Musk worries

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates at the Code conference(Photo: Jefferson Graham) RANCHO PALOS VERDES, Calif. — Remember when the smartphone was the “it” device? It wasn’t that long ago. But now, at least according to the chatter at the Code conference here, it’s all about AI, or artificial intelligence. Now and over the next few years. Speaker after speaker here got absolutely giddy talking about software programs that can learn from our behavior, anticipate our next moves, and do things we used to have to endure. Long-time geek Bill Gates, the co-founder of Microsoft called the emergence of AI the realization of all those dreams young science fans had as kids. “This is what it was all leading up to. Machines that are as capable and more capable than human intelligence.” Gates’…